Simply Deep
by horselover
Summary: Joren is told to take Kel on as his squire by the Chamber. I'll probably bump the rating up later on... READ and REVIEW!!!


Disclaimer: I do not own them, I am merely borrowing them. I do own the plot though. If someone's already done this, well I am sorry. 

**   This takes place in place of Squire. Just pretend that Joren becomes a knight when Kel becomes a squire. Please read and review.**

I love it when people review. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside… 

Chapter 1: Prologue 

_You have proven yourself unworthy. You have scorned people all your life. When all they are guilty of is being different, unique. You have shamed your family, Stone Mountain, Tortall, and yourself._

_   For example the girl, Keladry, who is as good if not a better knight than you? You, Joren of Stone Mountain have scorned her, beaten her, and torn her up inside. And for what? Envy? Rage? Jealousy?_

_   I should just destroy you now, but what a waste that would be. After all you have shown expertise in the training courts and in the battlefield._

_   No, I think I will let you live, on one condition._

_   Take the girl on as your squire. Prove me wrong. Show me that you are worthy of a knight's shield._

_   But be warned. Those who ignore me usually meet gruesome ends. _

Joren of Stone Mountain collapsed on the hard, stone floor of the Chamber of The Ordeal in a dead faint.

*

After his Ordeal, Joren of Stone Mountain went back home to recover from what his former knight master, Sir Paxton of Nond, had called 'a most terrible Ordeal.' It was pretty nice, to have servants fussing over him like he was glass. Not his parents though. They were away, somewhere. They were always away.

   Joren felt a lump rise to his throat. _'They never even turned up for my Ordeal, they probably wouldn't have turned up for my birth if they could have avoided it'_ He swallowed hard and blinked rapidly to clear the tears from his eyes. Crying was a sign of weakness. Joren of Stone Mountain didn't do weakness.

   Joren was no stranger to anger though, all his life he had been shuttled to and from his aunts, uncles, and cousins… Nobody wanted him. He was a mistake, a burden to his parents and a pain to his family.

   Joren flushed angrily. _'It wasn't my fault; I never asked to be born. It's not my fault'_

And now the chamber was asking, no _telling_, him to take the Mindelan girl as his squire. The very thought made Joren wince. He and her had been enemies since her first day as a page. She was so…full of virtues. Of good and evil, and just _everything_. She was so self-righteous; he made him want to be sick.

   '_There is no way_,' he thought, '_I can't do it, and I won't do it_.'

   Travelling with her would be torture.

   '_But if I don't I'll most probably die' _Joren knew what the Chamber done to those who did not do its will. He did _not _want it happening to him. 

   '_So I take the girl on as my squire, put up with her for four years and then toss her in the Chamber, and hope she came out alive. Its not like I have to talk to her or anything. Just put her in her place now and again_.'

   Joren scowled. Either the gods were playing with him, or his life was just one big mess.

   He got up off the couch with a groan. He was still stiff from his Ordeal. '_Might as well get Sir Paxton to tell Mindelan, I don't want her to think I actually want her as my squire_.'

*

   "It's useless, Neal." Keladry of Mindelan moaned, "Nobody wants me for their squire. I've been waiting for weeks now." She flopped face down on her bed, exhausted.

   Neal looked up from the book on philosophy he was reading with a grin. "Don't be too hard on yourself," he said sympathetically. "It could be worse, you could have gotten Alanna. I swear she is driving to the edge of insanity. All she does is moan and moan, I don't know how-"

   "I know, I know, you don't know how George puts up with her," Kel interrupted, sounding exasperated. 

   "Exactly," Neal said smugly, turning his attention back to his book. He was soon buried in the pages, and the whole room was silent.

   "What's that your reading, Neal?" she asked curious. 

   "Great Philosophy Arguments of the Human Era," Neal replied absently, turning the page.

   Kel rolled her eyes, Neal never seemed to stop surprising her, and she had known him for over four years. "What's it about?"

   Neal gave her a Look. "Great philosophy arguments of the human era, strangely." He spoke as if to a young child, and a young stupid child at that.

   Kel sighed. "No, duh! What phisocopical arguments of the Human E-" She was interrupted by a knock on the door. 

   Kel sprang to her feet. " That's probably Owen, he said he would be coming round sometime today for help on that mathematics test. It's on algebra, and he can't seem to grasp the idea." She opened the door and gasped. Sir Paxton of Nond, Jorens former knight-master, was standing outside.

   Kel quickly regained her composure. "Sir," she said politely, as she bowed.

   "Keladry," he greeted her, "I come on rather…strange, business. May I come in?" He brushed into her rooms without waiting for an answer.

   Neal was oblivious to Sir Paxton in the room, absorbed in his book. Kel went up and elbowed him in the stomach. "Ouch? What was that for?" Suddenly he noticed the knight, " I'll just go then, shall I." 

   He gathered up his books and coat and then, shooting a curious glance at Kel, he left.

   "So," Sir Paxton said, making himself comfortable, "No need to beat about the bush is there?"

   "No, Sir," Kel answered cautiously. Why did she suddenly feel like this wasn't good news?

   "Hmm, well my former squire, Joren of Stone Mountain, has expressed that he would like to take you on as his squire. I am aware that this is strange considering the grounds you two are on, but he was quite demanding.

   Kels jaw was hanging down. Finally she squeaked. "Sir, perhaps I didn't hear you right. Joren wants _me_ to be his squire, me." _'But he hates me, I can't be his_ _squire.'_

   "Yes Keladry, that is his request." I admit it is a strange one but…" he leaned in closer and said in a low voice, "…I think it's to do with his you-know-what, but you didn't here it from me. Straightening up he said, " So, do you accept or decline?"

   Kel and Sir Paxton both knew there was only one answer. The Rules of Chivalry said that the only answer to a squire invitation was yes.

   She bowed her head. "I would be proud to be Sir Joren's squire, Sir." Even as she said it her heart sank. This was going to be hell. 

   Kel showed Sir Paxton out of her rooms, and allowed Neal back in. He had been eavesdropping in the hall by the looks of things.

   "So, what'd he want?" Neal asked anxiously. "Was it about Joren? Did he die during his Ordeal? Was he asking about you?"

   Kel gave a small smile. "Didn't you here from in the hall?"

   Neal grinned, "I wouldn't be your best friend if I didn't at least _try_ to eavesdrop. Anyway, I didn't hear anything good. Your doors too thick and… soundproof.

   Kel sat on her bed and motioned for Neal to sit beside her. "Well, it _was_ about Joren. He… he wanted me to be his squire.

   Kel swore she heard Neal's jaw hitting the floor. "Why would he want that? He hates you gods- dammit Kel. Why would he ever want you as a squire? He must be planning something." He stood up and began pacing the room. Finally he stopped and looked at her. "What did you say, Kel?"

   Kel looked at her lap. "I said yes, there was no other option." She toyed with her hands in her lap, refusing to meet his eyes.

   "No other option! Kel, we could talk to the King. Get him to do something." He sat down again, his head in his hands.

   "Neal, I don't want him to think I'm afraid of him, because I'm not. I'm going to do this. Anyway, we'll probably not see each other very much…" 

  ' I hope' 

Review and tell me what you think, please. There is going to be a plot in later chapters…well, I suppose there is already a plot of sorts, I don't know.

Sorry about the bit at the beginning, I just reckoned that something must have happened in his past to make him so twisted and bitter and that's all I could come up with.

   READ and REVIEW!!!  

  


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